Rail brace or clamp.



0. J. VAN BIBBER.

RAIL BRAGE 0R CLAMP.

PPLIOATION FILED AUG. 5, 19140.

LIL l Patented Dec. 20. 1910.

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UNITE@ STATES IEATENT FFIQTI.

OSCAR J. VAN BIBBER, OF OSWEGO, KANSAS.

RAIL BRACE OR CLAMP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR J. VAN Bremen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oswego, in the county of Labette and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail Braces or Clamps, of which the following is a specification..

This invention relates to braces for railway rails, and the object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for preventing the spreading of the rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which comprises few parts, which is simple and cheap in construction, and which will perform the functions for which it is intended with ease and with accuracy.

IVith the above, and other objects in view, which will appear as the description progresses, the invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter' fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the same attached to a pair of railway rails. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a. longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the device.

In the accompanying drawings the numerals 1 designate the rails. These rails are constructed in the ordinary manner comprising a head 2, base flange 3 and web 4.

The numeral 5 designates the improved brace. This brace is primarily adapted to be employed between the ties for the rails, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings and comprises a pair of sections designated by the numerals 6 and 7. The member G has its central or body portion 8 composed of a strip of suitable metal and its end or rail engaging member enlarged so as to provide a rectangular member 9 which extends a suitable distance from each edge of the body. The outer extremity of the member 9 is bentupon itself as at 10 so as to provide, what may be termed an overlying flange for one side of the flange 3 of the rail 1. The overlying flange 10 is further provided with a vertical or upright extension 11, the same being adapted to contact the under face of the ball of the rail and to lie snugly against the web 4 thereof.

The numeral 12 designates the clamp employed in connection with this member. This clamp 12 has its body portion of a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1910.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 575,674.

width corresponding with the enlargement 9 and the said clamp comprises a hori zontally straight body portion having an upturned horizontally arranged longitudinally extending portion 13, the same being of a width corresponding with the base flange upon this side of the rail. The said horizontal portion 13 is further provided with a vertically extending member 14 and this member is adapted to have its upper edge underlie the ball of the rail and its face engage the inner web of the rail. Both the vertical members of the clamp and the brace are provided with openings alining with similar openings in the webs of the rail and the said openings are adapted for the reception of securing elements 15.

The horizontal member of the clamp is secured to the enlarged portion adjacent both edges of the body portion of the clamp through the medium of suitable securing elements 16 so as to avoid weakening the said body member. The second brace member is almost of a similar structure to that heretofore described excepting that its body portion 17 is oifset as at 18 so as to overlie the body portion of the first member, and both of the members are securely connected through the medium of suitable bolts and nuts designated by the numeral 18.

In the detail sectional view illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings the clamp member 19 is provided with a downwardly projecting centrally arranged tongue 20, and the latter is adapted to be received within an opening 21 provided in the body of one of the brace members. The edges of the said clamp member are secured adjacent the edges of the enlarged portions of the brace as in a manner heretofore described.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be noted that I have provided an extremely simple and thoroughly eective device for the purpose intended, and while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the improvement, as it now appears to me, changes in minor details of construction, within the scope of the following claim may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is In a device for the purpose set forth, a brace for railway rails comprising a reduced longitudinally extending body portion and an enlarged rectangular end portion integrally formed with the body portion, the outer edge of the said enlarged portion being bent upon itself to provide a flange adapted to overlie the base flange of the rail.7 the said overlying flange being integrally :formed with a vertical projection, the body of the brace adjacent tbe enlargement thereof being provided with a recess, a clamp for the enlarged portion ofthe brace, said clamp being centrally provided With a tongue adapted to engage the recess of the body7 said clamp being further provided with a horizontal longitudinally extending offset portion adapted to engage the base flange upon thie side of the rail7 the said overlying 'portion being further provided with a vertical portion, means for connecting the vertical portions of the clamp and brace to the webs of the rails, and means for connecting the clamp to the enlarged portion of the rails adjacent the reduced or body portion thereof.

In testimony whereof 1 aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

OSCAR J. VAN BIBBER.

Vitnesses ILLIAM H. BARRON, J. E. HANIGAN. 

